Love's All About Chemistry

People who have been swept off their feet knowone. Researchers at University College in London
the feeling. Love makes us all feel funny. That senserecently recorded changes in the brains of people
of giddy disorientation, unsinkable euphoria andwho described themselves as "truly and madly" in
complete obsession with a new love can be solove. The researchers, Andreas Bartels and Semir
overpowering, that it's hard to imagine it's all aboutZeki used a functional magnetic resonance imager to
emotion. Now scientists are confirming there indeedscan the brains of 17 lovehappy volunteers. When
may be a lot more going on in a body that's in lovethe team showed volunteers photos of their lovers,
than simple, happy thoughts. In fact, a spate ofthe results were dramatic. Four small areas of the
research has shown what kind of chemical andbrain lit up instantly the same areas that have been
neurological activities occur at different stages ofshown to respond to euphoria-inducing drugs.Old
human and animal relationships. While the resultsfriends, apparently, don't quite cause the same stir.
hardly make love less mysterious, they do start toFisher is conducting similar studies and is scanning the
shed light on why it can make people feel sobrain activity of people newly in love.THREE STAGES
funny.DOPED UPHelen Fisher, a research professor ofOF LOVEAs most know; however, the rush people
anthropology at Rutgers University , is among manyfeel from new love usually doesn't last forever. And
scientists who believe the flush of a new love isFisher is also interested in understanding the biological
enhanced by natural stimulants in the brain, dopaminestimulants and anthropological explanations for all
and norepinphrine. She explains that high levels ofphases of love.She argues that there are three main
these natural chemicals can make people lose theirstages to a love relationship: lust, romantic love and
appetites and their desire for sleep, just by thinkingattachment. The first, she says, is "to get you
about their new infatuations. "These are basic traitslooking for anything at all" and is driven by hormones
commonly associated with romantic love and withlike testosterone.The romantic love phase, which
these natural stimulants," she says. "What else couldcreates the brain chemical reactions described by the
explain the way you constantly think about a person,London researchers, serves to "force you to focus
about the way you want to read them your badyour mating energy on one person at a time."And
poetry?"Further studies show that gushy romanticthe fmal, less steamy stage of attachment is to
sensations may be similar to the highs drug addictsensure that any children produced by a love match
feel when they're under the influence. Nora Volkow;has parents at least through its early years.Research
the associate director for life sciences at Brookhavenshows there may also be chemicals associated with
National Laboratory in New York , has analysed thefeelings of attachment. When researchers injected a
behaviours of drug addicts and people in love andnatural chemical called oxytocin into the mice, the
found striking parallels. "When a person is passionatelyanimals immediately formed attachments. When they
in love, it is extremely exciting and provocative, andinjected chemicals that block the effect of oxytocin,
if the loved one is not there, distressing," saysFisher says; the mice "avoided their partners and
Volkow. "When I see my drug addicted patients, itacted like cads."Recent studies have zeroed in on the
just clicks with me how similar the addiction is. "Thechemistry of love, revealing what kind of chemical
fact that drug addiction and passionate love mayand neurological activities occur at different stages of
trigger the same responses, signals to Volkow thathuman and animal relationships.Love is enhanced by
drug addiction is especially dangerous since it taps intonatural stimulants to the brain, dopamine and
a natural sensation.STIRRING THE BRAINShe pointsnoreinphrine.Gushy romantic sensations similar to the
out that recent studies show the same regions ofhigh of drug addiction.Regions of the brain stirred
the brain including the frontal cortex which iswhen thinking of the loved one.The stages of lust,
activated when a drug addict is high and whenlove and attachment are affected by body chemicals.
someone in love is looking at a picture of a loved